The Hylian Wars
by Mock Heroic
Summary: After Link has saved Hyrule from Ganon, he takes a more delicate journey to find something that has haunted him throughout his undertaking of heroism—his own identity. Looking for his mother, Link travels to the past and discovers his roots.


**The Hylian Wars**

_"Some time ago, before the King of Hyrule unified this country, there was a fierce war in our world. One day, to escape from the fires of the war, a Hylian mother and her baby boy entered this forbidden forest…"_

**Summary:** After Link has saved Hyrule from Ganon, he takes a more delicate journey to find something that has haunted him throughout his undertaking of heroism-his own identity. With an enchantment bestowed upon him by the Seven Sages, Link uses the Ocarina to go back in time eighteen years ago, just before he was born, during the Hylian wars. Though the quest started out as an attempt to find his mother, Link finds out much more than he ever bargained for-the twisted truths of his roots. 

He slept easily, as one who must always be prepared learns to do. The large cow that took up an annoying amount of space in the tree house snored loudly, occasionally waking him. But he did not mind, for if his pale blue eyes were sewed closed and the rise and fall of his strong chest was allowed to slow until he fell into a deep sleep, the dreams would come back. Sometimes they were good dreams, dreams that left at once both an immense sadness and a blinding love behind. Sometimes they were so terrible he would retire to the top of the Deku Shop, staring at the stars and breathing in the rich Kokiri air. 

But tonight he must not dream. He needed his strength. In the morning he would set out to Kakariko Village and build Cucco a new chicken coop. Though during and after his fated defeat of Ganon he had been sought after by many, his heart belonged to Cucco. He thought of her now, her silken face dotted with constellations of freckles. The way the sun made a golden halo around her coffee-colored hair. The way when she smiled he swore he could see her heart shining, golden as it was…he thought of her now, and smiled. His slumber would be peaceful. 

"Ar-ar-ar-ar-oooo!" Link woke at daybreak to the crowing of Cojiro, a blue rooster he received as a gift from Cucco. The cow was already awake, staring at him. Link stared back for a minute, annoyed, and then stretched. 

"Time to get up and go see Cucco." He mused, petting little Cojiro on the head. Cojiro gave him a patronizing look that Link took to say: _Not without my breakfast, you aren't._  
"Right you are, Coji." He made a big scene of searching through his tunic while the cow and Coji watched him. He gave up, walked to his bed, walked back again.  
"Where did I put my…" His clear blue eyes gazed off at nothing, lost in thought. Finally, Cojiro gave a small cluck and jumped over to where Link's sheath and quiver lay. Resting next to it was his Ocarina.  
"Oh! Right." Cojiro rolled his beady black eyes and sat near his feed dish, waiting. 

Link stood in front of the cow, Ocarina ready at his lips. The cow looked at him. He looked at the cow. Then he began to play the sweet melody Malon had taught him seven years ago. The cow's face relaxed, and when Link held out a shiny, thick vial under it, he received a bottle full of milk. Link grabbed some wheat from the wheat bin, placed it in Cojiro's bowl, and poured milk over it. Cojiro clucked appreciatively and loudly chewed away. Link checked the cow's haystack. It was still half-full. If he could, Link would have brought the cow to pasteurize down in the Kokiri fields. Instead, he had to heave huge bails of hay up his ladder every couple of days. Link couldn't get the cow down the ladder, and he didn't understand how it had ever gotten there in the first place. This had always sort of bothered him. 

Satisfied, Link took a final look around his tree house to make sure everything was in order. Seeing that it was, he picked up his quiver and sheath, swung them around his shoulders, and went through the curtain to the ladder that would bring him down to solid ground. The path to Kakariko Village was a long one, maybe half a day's journey on horseback, but it would be worth it to see Cucco. Link could have made his trek a lot easier by just warping to the Graveyard, but the chance of Cucco, being concerned of his riding in the dark, inviting him to stay the night was tempting enough for him to endure the long route.


End file.
